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Kickers Look To Build On Win, Welcome Independence

By usl admin, 04/17/15, 9:45PM EDT

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Richmond Kickers News Release - www.richmondkickers.com

Friday, April 17, 2015

RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Kickers host USL expansion side the Charlotte Independence at City Stadium, presented by Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods, this Saturday night at 7 p.m. The pre-game party starts at 6 p.m. with live music from Kurt Stemhagen, legendary RVA food trucks and craft beer on tap. General admission tickets are $12 but Kickers 4-Packs, offering four tickets, four slices of pizza and four sodas for $48 are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.

Saturday’s match marks the first meeting between the Independence and the Kickers, who return to City Stadium on the heels of their first win of the season. A pair of goals by USL Player of the Week Jason Yeisley, combined with a key penalty kick save by goalkeeper Travis Worra carried the home side to an early lead over the Wilmington Hammerheads before a 90th-minute goal by Eli Garner solidified the 3-0 victory.

Meanwhile, Charlotte kicked off their debut season with a narrow 3-2 loss against the Charleston Battery in March before rallying for a 1-1 draw against Wilmington one week later. Conceding a first half penalty kick, the USL newcomers pulled a goal back with 20 minutes remaining in regulation when midfielder Enzo Martinez leveled the score to earn the club their first point in franchise history. The Independence returns to action on Saturday after a one-week break in the schedule.

Fans are encouraged to follow Saturday’s game on social media at #RICvCLT and to join the players afterwards at the official post-game party at Bellytimber Tavern, located in The Fan at 1501 W Main Street.

Players to Watch

Kickers: With 60  percent of the vote conducted by a national panel of independent media, forward Jason Yeisley earned USL Player of the Week honors following a pair of highlight-worthy finishes that lifted Richmond to victory over Wilmington last week. After signing with the Kickers in 2012, he has made 59 appearances in a Kickers uniform, amassing more than 4,500 minutes over four seasons.

Brian Ownby returned to the starting lineup last week, making an immediate impact with an assist on the eventual game-winning goal. The former Richmond Strikers Academy and University of Virginia midfielder made 21 appearances with the Kickers in 2013, tallying seven goals and seven assists while on loan from MLS side Houston Dynamo. 

Defender Braeden Troyer made his City Stadium debut last Friday, contributing to his first professional shutout. Signing with the Kickers days before the start of the 2015 season, he impressed at the Kickers 2015 Pro Combine, earning his first professional contract out of the University of South Carolina.

Independence: Defender Bilal Duckett signed with the Independence last week after spending the 2014 season with the Charlotte Eagles. Drafted by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, he made four appearances before moving to USL side Harrisburg in 2012. He returned to MLS in 2013 with the New England Revolution, making 19 appearances on loan to Rochester that season.

The Independence also added international star Draman Haminu last week, who is best known for scoring the second goal in Ghana’s 2-1 FIFA World Cup victory over the United States in 2006. The veteran midfielder brings vast experience to Charlotte, having played in Serbia, Turkey, Russia, France and most recently, Portugal over the past decade.

The first player signed in Independence history, veteran forward Jorge Herrera returns for his ninth USL season. A 2014 USL All-League Second Team honoree, he spent the past eight seasons with the Charlotte Eagles, making more than 100 appearances in an Eagles uniform while notching 53 goals and 29 assists. 

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